American Literature Essays Examples For College & High School Students in PDF

85147 total results

The Expressions of Feelings in the Poems, Ariel by Sylvia Plath (333 words, 2 pages)

NameProfessor NameThe Art of Madness16 October 2013 The Required Context of ArielIn order to fully understand the poems of Sylvia Plaths Ariel, the events of the poets life must be taken into consideration. The collected poems of Ariel were written shortly before Plaths suicide in 1963. Works such as Lady ... Read More

A Story of Desperation in Thirst by Eugene O’Neil (1240 words, 5 pages)

Thirst In Thirst, Eugene ONeil tells a story of desperation in a world where you really cannot do anything to escape. ONeil uses drama devices in order to show how being stranded at sea really would mess with a persons mind and how being in a life or death situation ... Read More

The Scarlet LetterNathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter provides various examples of similarity throughout the novel. One example that can be observed by many is the forest when compared to the main protagonist of the novel, Hester Prynne. The forest and Hester have a various number of characteristics, many of which ... Read More

The Influence of Parris and Proctors on the Puritans in John Proctor’s The Crucible (847 words, 3 pages)

Parris and Proctors Fight for ControlAs the leader of the church, Parris can influence the puritans to believe his every word, which prevents the puritans from being independent. Parris uses this control to keep people in the church and progress with the witch hunts. When Hale came to town he ... Read More

The Rational Character of George Wilson in the Novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (633 words, 3 pages)

Within F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby novel, George Wilsonillustrates his rational personality through certain behaviors. Forexample, George seeks out the identity of the driver of the car that killsMyrtle Wilson and murders this driver. In addition, George wants to buy TomBuchanan's car, repair it, and sell it at a ... Read More

Symbolism in Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury (1309 words, 4 pages)

Something Wicked Symbolism Each story has a fresh and intriguing idea that it tries to conveyover time. An allegory is a highly symbolic story that sends a specificmessage. The symbols in the allegory Something Wicked This Way Comes by RayBradbury clearly illustrate the theme that acceptance leads to happiness.The symbols ... Read More

The Writing Style in Ernest Hemingway’s Short Story Men Without Women (1536 words, 6 pages)

Hemingway's Men without Women Ernest Hemingway was one of the finest most influential Americanauthors of the Twentieth Century. He has influenced many types of writers,like journalists, playwrights, critics, and filmmakers. In Hemingway'sshort story collection Men without Women, his inspired writing style usedextensive amounts of dialogue to personify and analyze the ... Read More

The Three Melinda’s Trees in Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (895 words, 3 pages)

Speak Symbolism Each human goes through their own struggles throughout life. Mostpeople come out a better person as a result of their issues. The change inMelinda's trees clearly demonstrates her evolution as a character. Thethree trees that exemplify her growth are the watercolor tree, the dyingtree, and her final tree. ... Read More

A Comparison of Kate Chopin in Her Early Life and Mrs Mallard From The Story of an Hour (1304 words, 4 pages)

Many writers often write poems, short stories and other pieces of writing about things that had affected them in the past or about events that they had experienced in their early life. Katherine O'Flaherty well known as Kate Chopin was a novelist and short story writer of the 20th century ... Read More

The World at Risk in Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (756 words, 3 pages)

Scientific advancement has propelled the human race to incredible new heights. With the help of new technology, the human race has been able to observe microscopic life forms, develop cures for the harshest of illnesses, and even visit the moon. However, these advancements have also put the world at risk ... Read More

The Demonstration of Harold Mitchell’s Empathetic Personality in Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” (561 words, 3 pages)

Within Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire play (1947),Harold Mitchell demonstrates his empathetic personality. To this end,Mitchell is concerned that his mother may die before seeing her daughter-in-law. Mitchell further illustrates empathy by noticing that Blance Duboishas not enjoyed a particular trip to an amusement park. This essayillustrates that Mitchell ... Read More

An Analysis of the Short Story A Worn Path by Eudora Welty (682 words, 2 pages)

Symbols in Eudora Weltys A Worn PathA Worn Path by Eudora Welty is a short story about an old woman, Phoenix, and the challenges of the cold weather, rough terrain, white hunter, and patronizing people at the doctor's office that she faces so that she can get medicine for her ... Read More

The Philosophy of Ayn Rand in Her Literary Work, Anthem (578 words, 3 pages)

As a means of enhancement, authors will often intertwine their virtues that have developed through life experiences with their literary work. After the Communist Revolution in Russia, Alissa Rosenbaum realized that her desire to become a writer could not be achieved in a dystopic country where free expression is forbidden, ... Read More

An Analysis of the Use of Hyperbole in Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird (301 words, 2 pages)

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, hyperbole is used to change the readers thoughts of Boo Radley. For instance, Scout is describing Boo Radley when she says So Jem received most of his information from Miss Stephanie Crawford, a neighborhood scold, who said she knew the whole thing ... Read More

The Struggles of John Wade in the Novel, In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien (528 words, 3 pages)

Many literary works include political and social issues that the main characters face. In the Lake of the Woods, by Tim OBrian, relays the life of a soldier and politician through characterization and plot enrichment. John Wade, the main character, deals with war crime prosecution, political defeats, and stress, which ... Read More

Character Analysis of Santiago in the Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (624 words, 3 pages)

Code Hero v. Average JoePeople sometimes find themselves engulfed in chaotic circumstances, often discover these moments to be stressful, and always leave the situations bursting with pain. Following principles of honor, courage, and endurance in atmospheres consisting of chaos, stress, and pain differentiates an average person from a Hemingway code ... Read More

An Analysis of Stella Kowalski’s Delusion within A Streetcar Named Desire (708 words, 5 pages)

Stella Kowalski's Delusion within A Streetcar Named Desire Name Institution Stella Kowalski's Delusion within A Streetcar Named Desire Within Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire play, StellaKowalski suffers from self-inflicted delusion. In other words, Stellarepeatedly refuses to accept reality. In this regard, Stella insists that,since Blanche Dubois used to be ... Read More

The Uncritical Character of Myrtle Wilson in the Novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (652 words, 3 pages)

Within Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby novel, Myrtle Wilsonis an uncritical character. Thanks to this uncritical personality, Wilsondespises low social class people even though she belongs to the same class.Further, when she meets Tom Buchanan for the first time, Wilson fails tonotice several alarming aspects. This essay proves that Wilson ... Read More

A Comparison of the Criminal Trial of Tom Robinson in the Novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the Scottsboro Boys Trial (315 words, 2 pages)

The criminal trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is very similar to the criminal trial of the Scottsboro Boys. During the closing stages of Toms trial, Atticus says, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men ... Read More

The Cruel and Weak Nature of Humans in the Short Story, The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (390 words, 2 pages)

In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, the village members stone a person to death because of tradition. Many readers were insulted by the story because of the way it portrays human nature and a persons ability to remain a free entity. In my opinion, this story shows that human nature ... Read More

An Assessment of the Novel, A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner (1130 words, 4 pages)

A Rose For EmilyBy William FaulknerSetting Harrington, Mississippi1930I grew up in a well-educated part of North Carolina my whole life before convincing myself the quiet life was for me. Growing up with all these misfits surrounding me just never seemed to appeal to me. No matter how far along I ... Read More

Alcohol Addiction in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (489 words, 3 pages)

Literary Analysis of The Sun Also Rises The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway portrays a group of men who have an addictive attachment to alcohol. These men seem to be constantly preoccupied with imbibing large amounts of alcohol as a means of escaping their life (Djos 1). A great ... Read More

An Analysis of Childhood Memories in to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (753 words, 3 pages)

Parents hide their childhood memories from their children for many reasons. Some are embarrassed, some are scared, and some are ashamed. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finchs nickname describes his childhood. Rather than learning about his second persona from their father, his children, Jem and Scout, ... Read More

An Essay on the Dream of Ralph in the Novel, Lord of Flies by William Golding (424 words, 2 pages)

As dawn crept slowly upon the island, the boys were getting restless. Word of the beast still haunted theirs minds from the night before. Was the best really real? Or was it a figure of imagination? So many questions were running through Ralphs mind as his eyes began to feel ... Read More

Holden Caufield’s Resentment Towards Society in the Novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (689 words, 3 pages)

Throughout the course of a persons life, he or she spirals out of control causing him or her to reflect on his or her experiences. These reflections enhance understanding of societys behavior revealing civilizations flaws. In the eyes of the observer, the impurities generate hatred towards a generalization of people. ... Read More

An Analysis of Metaphors in to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (732 words, 2 pages)

To Kill A Mocking Bird EssayThe metaphor of killing a mockingbird is in direct relation to harming something that brings absolutely no harm to the world. As Harper Lee uses a Mockingbird as a symbol in the story, the children really learn how to treat society through the eyes of ... Read More

Gatsby’s Confrontation with Tom Sparking the End of His American Dream in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (551 words, 3 pages)

Gatsbys confrontation with Tom at the Plaza Hotel with Daisy, Jordan, and Nick sparks the end of Gatsbys American Dream because it finalizes Daisys absence in his life. After the argument, Gatsby orders a butler to await a telephone message because he anticipates a message from Daisy to discuss their ... Read More

The Worthless Image of Man in Society in the Novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1405 words, 4 pages)

The intellectual Mark Twain wrote a masterpiece of wit and dark humor known to all of America as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The absolute value of man is deemed to be pathetic through a vast amount of subliminal messages. The image of man in society is deemed to be ... Read More

An Analysis of Themes and Motifs in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (3538 words, 12 pages)

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Final Responses1In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Ken Kessey poses a decision for the reader to make when the narrator says that, its the truth even if it didnt happen? Kessey gives the reader a choice weather to trust the narrator ... Read More

The Relation of Power to Money in the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (2437 words, 8 pages)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1Through the first chapter of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald establishes a setting in the East and West Eggs of Long Island to create a scene where money buys happiness for the people living there. Fitzgerald describes Tom and Daisy as having drifted ... Read More

American Literature Essay Examples